Question Help with new Pioneer Blu-ray drive ?

[Perene]

Hello,
I recently got what was announced to be a Pioneer BDR-212DBK optical drive. I was told this doesn't work for UHD discs, so updating the FW makes no difference.

What I was wondering is this:

1) Based on the MAKEMKV info (that I got after reading it for the 1st time today), is this really the Pioneer BDR-212DBK? This is what the drive itself says, but I got it without the box, so I need to confirm either way. Contrary to Apple products, I don't think there's a website that checks serial numbers to confirm what kind of product it is.

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Informações da Unidade
Nome do dispositivo do SO: E:
Fabricante: PIONEER
Produto: BD-RW BDR-212D
Revisão: 1.00
Número de série: AEDL034750WL
Data do Firmware: 2019-01-10
Sinalizações de criptografia bus: 13

LibreDrive Information
Status: Enabled
Drive platform: RS8F00
Firmware name: PIONEER BDR-212T
Firmware type: Original (unpatched)
Firmware version: 1.00/ID61
DVD all regions: Yes
BD raw data read: Yes
BD raw metadata read: Yes
Unrestricted read speed: Yes
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2) Assuming it is:

- Apparently two firmware updates were released for it:

https://pioneer.jp/device_e/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00002r_e.html#BDR-212DBK

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BDR-212DBK
ver. change point
1.03 Improvement of the playback operation with specific media
1.02 Improvement of the playback operation with specific media
1.01 Improvement of the operational stability when BD-R SL 16x speed recording.
Improvement of the operational stability when recording CD, DVD, BD.

Pioneer's website says:
https://pioneer.jp/device_e/product-e/ibs/device_e/dev00001r_e.html

BDR-212DBK_FW103EU.exe
(2.66 MB)
updated Dec 21, 2022

BD/DVD/CD Drive
Once updated to version 1.03, this drive will not revert to older firmware versions.
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Is this the firmware I should download and apply to it? I am asking this because there's always a "but" when we pick a European firmware (at least for routers?) when the product is from USA/America. In this case, if it's really this one I need, I assume it's for all BDR-212DBK regardless of where they were purchased.

3) I plan to use this drive to play region 4/NTSC (DVDs) from Brazil. Regular Blu-rays with region "A" are from Brazil and United States. Besides the fact only 5 changes are possible (and if I need to put a R1 disc, I'll rip it), I was told in the past when we buy a NEW drive, we always need to set a region code.

Apparently when the drive is brand new, there is no region code set. I believe at least for the now defunct AnyDVD (?) this was not a good idea, we needed to set one (4 and "A" in my case) for the ripping tool to work properly.

 

[Aeacus]

Based on the MAKEMKV info

Care to enlighten us about the info you got thanks to your MakeMKV topic?
Link: https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&p=170614

This is what the drive itself says, but I got it without the box

Well, the ODD itself was sold as bulk item. So, there is no retail box for it.

When to think about it, 🤔 all ODDs i've bought over the years (LG, Samsung, Sony etc), also came as-is, without the retail box.

2) Assuming it is:

- Apparently two firmware updates were released for it:

I take that the info from MakeMKV forums covered the firmware part of it.

Apparently when the drive is brand new, there is no region code set.

As far as i know, devices are built with region restrictions off the bat. E.g when ODD needs to play US media, this is considered in factory, ODDs are made and shipped to US for sale. But when ODD needs to play EU media, ODD is made for EU market and then shipped to EU for sale.
Though, one can jailbreak ODD (and other hardware) to remove region locks.

 

[Perene]

I asked about and the IA chat said the "BK" means black, so this is indeed the drive I got. There's BDR-212-BK printed on it, and it came with no retail box.

About the region code, they didn't clarify in there, here's the thing:

- I had forgot that we can set this in Windows. It's configured inside it.

When a drive is sold, there is no region set. I just checked, and this one hasn't. It doesn't matter if it's from the U.S., Europe or South America. It's not configured, as this image shows:

My previous drive, an ASUS, had this set (I did it myself):

That's why it says 4 changes left, and region 4. Brazil uses that, which has NTSC discs just like R1-US. For Blu-rays, BR and US use "A" (Europe = B).

I believe (this was when the AnyDVD forums were still there) they told me I have to choose one region-code to be set, so this would ensure the decrypting process would go smoothly. I know software like MAKEMKV defeat these anyway, but I believe (yet to be confirmed) this is a necessary step.

About flashing, I was approached by member(s) telling me it's possible to transform the drive, so it could burn BDXL media (this one can't, only BD-25 and BD-50) and rip UHD-4K discs (no one plays them, PowerDVD don't support anymore, and we would need old hardware, like the CPU).

But there's a problem with that idea: we can't update the firmware. Not before, not ever, otherwise this would prevent that model to be able to rip 4K discs. It's a known fact new FWs (after 2022) disabled this for good.

I asked about that restriction on reddit and if the drive would last as expected anyway. My main use for this Pioneer is to play official discs and not only rip, mainly to burn them. I don't want this to be a "Sophie's Choice", so I am still holding on that idea.